Can-sealing device.



A. A. RIGKERT.

CAN SEALING DEVICE. APPLICATION rum) 001222, 1903.

Patentad' Oct 25, 1910.)

i-VW ELERs ca, WASHINGTON. D. c.

AUGUST A. RICKERT, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAN-SEALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 22, 1908.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Serial No. 458,970.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUs'r A. RIGKERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can-Sealing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can sealing devices, and consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Where Mason fruit cans are used as commonly constructed they are provided with a metal cap having screw threads which are adapted to fit on a screw threaded neck of the can, and seat on a rubber washer or gasket. As commonly used these tops must be screwed on very tightly, so as to take out of the sealing edge of the cover any imperfections there may be, so that all air may be excluded. The purpose of this invention is to provide a means by which said cover may be smoothed out or made uniform, so that very little pressure is required to make a perfect closure on the gasket or washer.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a fruit can with a cover and a device thereon, the same being partly in section to better show construction. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sealing device.

A marks the can; B the cover and G the gasket or rubber washer. A pivot post E is secured in an anchor piece F, the anchor piece having the lugs f for engaging the sides of the cover. A- clamp jaw G is eccentrically pivoted at J on the anchor piece and provided with a lug g for engaging the side of the cover. The clamping jaw has the finger piece 9, by means of which it may be grasped to turn the lug G. The anchor piece is placed on the cover, and the clamp jaw G is swung on its pivot thus bringing the lug 9 into engagement with the side of the cover by reason of the eccentric pivot of the jaw.

An arm K is pivotally mounted on the pivot pin or post E, the arm having an elongated opening K through which the post extends. A lug 70 extending downwardly from the arm is so positioned with relation to the pivot, that when the anchor piece is in place it is just outside of the cover. A smoothing wheel H is also preferably used and pivoted on the lug is by means of a pin I. A handle D extends from the arm K to facilitate the operation of the smoothing roller.

In operation, the anchor piece is clamped to position as above described, and the handle is grasped and pressure exerted on the wheel H. As the wheel H passes over the edgeof the cover, it smooths out any bent portion there may be, and thus effects a perfect seal. In this way a perfect'seal may be accomplished with very little pressure on the roller, so that the cover may be readily put in place and .also readily removed. It will of course be understood, I prefer the use of the wheel, because it does away with any side friction.

It will be observed, that the pin E engages the arm K loosely, so that the arm may have some vertical movement. It will also be observed, that the slot K permits of a radial movement of the arm, so as to accommodate the device to variations in the sizes of the covers. This also permits of the roller being crowded in or out as it is manipulated to take care of any eccentricity in the shape of the cover.

' What I claim as new is: I

1. In a can sealing'device, the combination of an anchor; lugs on the anchor; a clamp jaw eccentrically mounted on the anchor for clamping the anchor on a cover by radial pressure; and a smoothing roller mounted concentric with the cover and adapted to be swung on the pivot throughout the circumference of the cover with pressure on the edge of the can cover.

2. In a can sealing device, the combination of an anchor; means for locking the anchor on the top of the can cover; a smoothing roller mounted to freely swing on the anchor with free radial play on the pivot, and adapted to be swung on the pivot with pressure in an axial direction on the upper side along the outer edge of a can cover.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST A. RIOKERT. Witnesses:

WATSON R. BANISTER, K. R. KANE. 

